Copy machine with automatic roll supplied copy paper feeding and cutting apparatus and control circuitry

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and control circuitry used in a copy machine for providing copy paper cut to length in accordance with an original sheet sensed by a single switch in the path of travel of the original. A first feed roller is rotated via a clutch upon energization of a solenoid for the clutch when the leading edge of the original is sensed by the switch to connect the solenoid to a D.C. power supply via a capacitor. When the capacitor is nearly charged, current flow to the solenoid has diminished to a level where the armature of the solenoid is returned to its unactuated position. The leading edge of the copy paper is moved from a solenoid operated cutter to a second feed roller by the rotation provided by the first feed roll in response to the energization of the solenoid for the clutch. The second feed roller continues to pull copy paper from a supply roll until the trailing edge of the original moves past the switch causing the switch to connect the charged capacitor to the cutter solenoid to energize it and operate the cutter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to roll-fed copying machines and moreparticularly to the apparatus and control circuitry for dispensing cutlengths from a roll of copy sheet material in accordance with varyingsize originals and wherein switches responsive to the presence andabsence of an original are used in the control circuitry.

While roll-fed copy machines are known which use one or more switchesthat are operated in accordance with the presence or absence of originalsheets fed into the machine and/or the presence or absence of copy paperfor controlling the movement of copy sheet material from a supply andthe cutting of the material to length corresponding to the length of theoriginals, such prior arrangements are complex and relatively expensive.For example, the prior arrangements may require the use of specialcircuit components to provide pulsed operation of solenoids or the useof expensive continuous duty solenoids. In addition, many of the priorart arrangements require special control features or mechanisms to avoidjamming of copy paper at the cutter when the cutter is operated. Whilecircuit complexity of the prior art was reduced by an arrangement usingtwo switches disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 945,407, filedSept. 25, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,330, careful adjustment of theswitch positions is required which is time consuming and complicatesmaintenance when either of the switches requires replacement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The complexity involved in prior copy machines is further reduced bythis invention. The invention is utilized in an electrically operatedcopy machine having a transferring mechanism driven by a drive motor forproviding synchronous movement in the copy machine of copy paper andoriginal sheets of varying lengths. The copy paper for the machine isprovided by a continuous web of copy paper from a copy paper supplyroll. The invention provides apparatus and circuitry used in the copymachine which is responsive to the presence and absence of the originalfor cutting sheets from the copy paper which correspond to the length ofthe original and includes first and second copy paper feed rollers whichare a part of the transferring mechanism. The first feed roller ispositioned along the path of travel of the copy paper between the copypaper supply roll and said second feed roller. A solenoid operatedcutter is positioned between the first and second feed rollers.

A solenoid controlled clutch is used for operatively connecting thefirst feed roller to the drive motor. The solenoid is energized only forthe time necessary to have the first feed roller move the copy paperfrom an initial position at the cutter to the second feed roller whichthen continues to draw copy paper from the copy paper supply roll.Energization of the solenoid for the clutch and the solenoid for thecutter are controlled by a single switch which is positioned along thepath of travel of an original sheet presented to the copy machine. Theswitch has a first and second position, the first position is the normalposition for the switch and is provided when an original sheet is notpresented to the switch with the second position provided while anoriginal sheet is presented to the switch. The first position for theswitch is used to complete a first circuit loop which includes acapacitor and the winding of the cutter solenoid. The second position ofthe switch completes a second circuit loop which includes the winding ofthe clutch solenoid, the capacitor and a D.C. power supply. Accordingly,the clutch solenoid is operated by the current flow for charging thecapacitor when the leading edge of an original is initially detected bythe switch to place it in its second position to complete the secondcircuit loop. The armature of the clutch solenoid is released as thecurrent flow diminishes as the capacitor reaches full charge. When thetrailing edge of the original passes the switch, the switch moves to itsfirst or normal position which completes the first circuit loop thatincludes the capacitor, which is charged, and the winding of the cuttersolenoid. This causes the cutter to be operated by discharge of thecapacitor via the winding of the cutter solenoid. Accordingly, thecutter solenoid is operated to cut the copy paper to the length of theoriginal presented to the copy machine.

With the foregoing arrangement provided by the present invention, onlyone switch is used to detect the original presented to the copy machineand is used in a manner so that the cutter solenoid and the clutchsolenoid are only energized for a brief period of time allowingintermittent rather than continuus duty type solenoids to be utilized.

In addition, the single switch provides for operation wherein the feedroller is not active to push the copy paper into the cutter at the timethe cutter is operated so any jamming of copy paper at the cutter isavoided.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an electricallyoperated copy machine with only a portion of the control circuitry ofthe present invention shown; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic of the control circuitry of the present inventionfor use with the copy machine of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a diagrammatic side elevational view of anelectrically operated copy machine 10 is shown in part which includes ahousing 12 in which a copy paper supply roll 14 is positioned forrotation counterclockwise about the axis for the roll indicated at 16.For the type of copy machine to be described, the copy paper is a zincoxide coated paper such as that available from the Minnesota Mining andManufacturing Company under the designation Type 470. The copy paper ismoved through the copy machine by a transferring mechanism whichincludes a first feed roller 20 which receives the copy paper from thesupply roll 14 via a guide member 18, an idler roller 22 above roller 20between the copy paper is moved when roller 20 is driven, a secondfeeder roller 24 and a cooperating charge roller 26 positioned aboveroller 24 which also serves to place a uniform electrical charge on thezinc oxide surface of the copy paper, a roller 30 which receives thecopy paper from rollers 24 and 26 and keeps it in close contact with theexposure station, indicated generally at 32, drive roller 34 plus roller36 positioned above roller 34 which receive the paper from roller 30 andmove it past a developer station, indicated generally at 38, and adriven pressure roller 40 and a cooperating idler roller 42 positionedabove the roller 40 which receive the copy paper from the rollers 34 and36 and move the copy paper via an opening 11 in the housing 12 to anarea outside of the housing. The path taken by the copy paper is shownby the solid line that extends from the copy paper to the right side ofthe housing.

A drive motor 44 is also a part of the transferring mechanism andprovides the driving force for the transferring mechanism. A directdrive connection, indicated by dotted lines, is provided between thedrive motor 44 and feed roller 24, drive roller 34 and roller 40. Achain drive (not shown) may be used to provide the direct driveconnection. The drive motor 44 is also operatively connected to drivethe feed roller 20 via a solenoid operated clutch 46 as indicated by thedotted line 48 between motor 44 and clutch 46 and the dotted line 50between the clutch 48 and feed roller 20. The drive relationship betweenthe clutch 46 and the motor 44 and between the clutch 46 and the feedroller 20 is only diagrammatically shown.

The clutch 46 may be a spring clutch available from the PSI Division ofWarner Electric Brake and Clutch Company, P.O. Box 118, Pittman, N.J.08071 under stock number 501581. The clutch 46 is controlled by asolenoid which includes a winding 52 and an armature 54, which by spring55 is biased toward clutch 46. When the winding 52 is energized, thearmature 54 moves allowing the clutch 46 to couple the drive motor 44 tothe feed roller 20. If the winding 52 is de-energized before the clutch46 rotates one revolution, the clutch is engaged by the armature toterminate movement of the roller 20 after one revolution of the clutch.As will be explained later, one revolution of roller 20 is required whenmaking a copy using the machine shown in FIG. 1.

A solenoid controlled cutter 28 is provided along the path of the copypaper and is positioned between the first feeder roller 20 and thesecond feeder roller 24. Normally, the copy paper will be at the cutter28 when a copy has been made with the cutter bar portion of the cutter28 positioned to allow paper to move to the second feed roller 24 whenthe first feed roller 20 is driven. The spacing between the cutter 28and the roller 24 is such that only one revolution of the feed roller 20is required to bring the copy paper to the second feed roller 24. Thesolenoid for cutter 28 includes a winding 56 and an armature 58 which isoperatively connected, as indicated by the dotted line, to the cuttingbar portion of the cutter 28. The cutter 28 is moved to the cuttingposition when the winding 56 is energized and returns to its originalposition when winding 56 is de-energized to cause the armature 58 toreturn to the de-energized position. Solenoid controlled cutters of thetype described for severing paper presented to it from a feed roller arewell known in the art.

It is necessary when making a copy of an original sheet that movement ofthe original sheet to be copied and the copy paper be synchronized sotheir leading edges reach the exposure station 32 at the same time. Thetransferring mechanism of the copy machine that serves to provide suchmovement of an original sheet includes a portion of the transferringmechanism used in moving copy paper through the machine. An originalpasses in FIG. 1 from right to left along the path indicated by the line60.

The charge roller 26 and the feed roller 24, which are used in thetransferring mechanism for the copy paper, are also used directly aspart of the transferring mechanism for the original sheets presented tothe copier. Roller 24 is coupled, as indicated by the dotted line, todrive charge roller 26. Gears can be used to provide the coupling. Anidler roller 62 is positioned above and cooperates with roller 26. Asimilar coupling arrangement is provided between rollers 34 and 36 withroller 64 positioned above roller 36. The roller 36 is also coupled, asindicated by the dotted line, to drive a feed roller 66 positioned atthe right portion of the machine where an original is initiallyinserted. The roller 36 may be coupled to the feed roller 66 by a timingbelt (not shown). The feed roller 66 has a roller 66 positioned above itwhich is coupled to the roller 64 by a number of "o" ring belts 70 (onlyone is shown) positioned along the rollers 68 and 64. A roller 72 ispositioned adjacent the exposure station 34 diametrically opposite theroller 30. The roller 72 is biased toward the exposure station and is adriven roller being coupled, as indicated by the dotted line, to roller64. Such coupling can be provided by a timing belt (not shown). With thedrive motor 44 for the transferring mechanism operating, the portion oftransferring mechanism is effective to move an original sheet along thepath indicated by the line 60 carrying the original past the exposurestaton 32 to an exit point to the left of rollers 26 and 62.

A snap acting type switch 74 of the single pole, double throwconfiguration, is positioned in the flow path for the original. A switchof this type is well known and commercially available from severalsources. Switch 74 is operated by the leading edge of an original sheetand is positioned so its actuation in response to the leading edgeoccurs when the leading edge is at a distance from the center of theexposure station 32 that is equal to the distance that the leading edgeof the copy paper, which is at the cutter 28, travels to reach thecenter of the exposure station 32 following energization of the winding52. As will be explained, the actuation of switch 74 in response to theleading edge of the original is effective to energize the winding 52 ofthe solenoid for clutch 46 to release clutch 46 allowing the feed roller20 to be driven. As will be explained, the armature 54 of the solenoidfor clutch 46 is released since current to the solenoid is reducedbefore the feed roller 20 has rotated a full revolution allowing thearmature 54 to stop operation of the clutch.

A control circuit utilizing switch 74 is shown in FIG. 2. The positionin which switch 74 is shown shall hereinafter be referred to as thefirst position. It is the position the switch automatically assumes whenit is not responding to the presence of an original sheet. The otherposition, which is assumed by the switch 74 when responding to anoriginal sheet, shall hereinafter be referred to as the second position.The control circuit includes a D.C. power supply 75 which has one outputconnected to the fixed contact of switch 74 associated with the secondposition of switch 74. The fixed contact of switch 74 associated withthe first position of switch 74 is connected to one end of the winding56 for the cutter solenoid. The other end of the winding 56 is connectedto one end of winding 52 of the solenoid for clutch 46. The other end ofwinding 52 is connected to the other output of the D.C. power supply 75.A capacitor 76 is connected between the movable contact of switch 74 andthe connection common to the windings 52 and 56. When switch 74 is inits first position, a first circuit loop including winding 56 andcapacitor 76 is completed. When switch 74 is in its second position, asecond circuit loop is completed which includes the D.C. power supply75, capacitor 76 and winding 52.

Operation of the circuit of FIG. 2 in conjunction with movement of thecopy paper and an original sheet through the copy machine will bedescribed. Prior to the insertion of an original sheet into the copymachine, the circuit of FIG. 2 is as shown, wherein each of the windings52 and 56 is de-energized so the leading edge of the copy paper is atthe cutter 28 where it remains until the clutch 46 is released byenergization of the solenoid winding 52 to cause feed roller 20 to bedriven. Assuming the drive motor is energized, the original sheet iscarried by the roller 66 and 68 and the "o" ring belts 70 toward thesnap switch 74. Upon actuation of the switch 74 to its second positionby the leading edge of the original sheet, the second circuit loop isestablished. This causes the winding 52 for the clutch solenoid to beenergized by the D.C. current flow established for charging thecapacitor 76. With the clutch solenoid winding 52 energized, the clutch46 is released causing the drive motor 44 to drive the feed roller 20 tomove the leading edge of the copy paper toward the driven feed roller24. The current flow for charging capacitor 76 becomes less as thecapacitor 76 reaches full charge causing the armature 54 of the clutchsolenoid to return to its de-energized position. The time for chargingthe capacitor 76 is short enough that the return of the armature 54 toits de-energized position occurs before roller 20 has made one or tworevolutions to cause the armature of the solenoid to disengage theclutch from the roller 20 upon completion of one or two revolution ofroller 20. The spacing of rollers 24 and 26 from the cutter 28 is suchthat one revolution of roller 20 is sufficient to move the leading edgeof the copy paper from the cutter 28 to rollers 24 and 26 so movement ofthe copy paper is continued by rollers 24 and 26 following disengagementof the clutch from roller 20.

Movement of the copy paper via rollers 24 and 26 and the original sheetvia rollers 66 and 68 plus rollers 36 and 64 causes both leading edgesto reach the center of the exposure station 32 at the same time. Thiscauses an electrical charge image to be placed on the copy paper inaccordance with the light energy directed from the original to the copypaper via the exposure station. During further travel, the copy paperproceeds via rollers 34 and 36 past the developer station 38, wheretoner is deposited on the copy paper in accordance with charge image, tothe pressure fuser station provided by rollers 40 and 42 where the tonerimage is fused to the copy paper by pressure.

When the trailing edge of the original sheet passes the switch 74,switch 74 returns to its first position to complete the first circuitloop. The charged capacitor 76 is discharged via the winding 56 of thecutter solenoid causing the cutter 28 to be operated to sever the copypaper at the cutter allowing the severed portion, which is cut thelength of the original sheet presented to the copy machine, to completeits path through the copy machine in synchronism with passage of theoriginal sheet through the copy machine.

It will be noted from the foregoing description of the operation of thecircuit of FIG. 2 that neither of the windings 52 or 56 for thesolenoids remains energized for any appreciable time making it possibleto use solenoids which are of the intermittent duty type rather than ofthe constant duty type as are required by other cut-to-lengtharrangements for copy machines and the like.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrically operated copy machine having atransferring mechanism driven by a drive motor for providing synchronousmovement in the copy machine of copy paper and original sheets ofvarying lengths where the copy paper is provided by a continuous web ofcopy paper from a copy paper supply roll and apparatus and circuitryresponsive to the presence and absence of the original for cuttingsheets from the copy paper which correspond to the length of theoriginal including:first and second copy paper feed rollers included inthe transferring mechanism, said first feed roller positioned betweenthe copy paper supply roll and said second feed roller; first and secondsolenoids, each having a winding; a capacitor having one side connectedto one end of each of said windings; a D.C. power supply having one sideconnected to the other end of said second solenoid winding; a cutterpositioned in the path of travel of the copy paper between said firstand second feed rollers and operatively connected to said firstsolenoid; switch means positioned along the path of travel for anoriginal sheet presenting a first position and a second position inresponse to the absence and presence, respectively, of an original sheetpresented to the copy machine at said switch means, said switch meansoperatively connected to said other end of said first solenoids, theother side of said capacitor and the other side of said D.C. supplyvoltage forming a first circuit loop including said first solenoidwinding and said capacitor when said switch means is presenting saidfirst position and forming a second circuit loop including said D.C.supply source, said capacitor and said second solenoid winding when saidswitch means is presenting said second position, said second circuitloop when formed causing said capacitor to be charged and causing saidsecond solenoid winding to be energized while said capacitor is beingcharged and said first circuit loop when formed subsequent to theformation of said second circuit loop causing said first solenoidwinding to be energized by the discharge of said capacitor; and a clutchadapted for control by said second solenoid and operatively engagedbetween the drive motor and said first feed roller for providingsufficient rotation of said first feed roller to move the copy paperfrom said cutter to said second feed roller following energization ofsaid second solenoid.
 2. An electrically operated copy machine inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said first switch means is a snapswitch.
 3. An electrically operated copy machine in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said snap switch is a single pole, double throw type.